Stoke City sign Luke McNally on season-long loan from Burnley

Stoke City has successfully secured the signing of former Republic of Ireland youth international and defender, Luke McNally, on a season-long loan from Burnley.

The 23-year-old player spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign with Coventry City.

McNally significantly contributed to the Sky Blues' solid defensive record, keeping ten clean sheets in 22 Championship matches and helping the club reach the play-off final in May.

In his early career, McNally claimed the Young Player of the Year awards during his time with Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic in Ireland.

His performance caught the attention of English clubs, leading him to Oxford United, where he made 35 appearances. He then moved to Burnley under Vincent Kompany’s management last summer.

Ricky Martin, Stoke City’s Technical Director, expressed his satisfaction with the signing, stating, “Luke is a player we have been interested in for some time, having initially made contact with Burnley in January.”

He added, “We weren’t surprised to see Luke consistently perform at a high level in the Championship during his loan at Coventry and we are delighted to have now recruited him at a time when he will only be better for that experience. Luke carries strong physical attributes, is comfortable in possession and displays impressive tactical understanding of the game.”

McNally himself has expressed his eagerness to work under Stoke City’s manager, Alex Neil.

“The manager fills me with belief that he will help me to develop as a player and that the trajectory of the Club is going in the right direction,” said McNally.

He also commented on how he had been impressed coming up against Stoke during his time at Coventry. He believes the club has a "massive" scope and sees it as a great opportunity for his career growth.

McNally becomes Stoke City’s 11th summer signing.